Some metals, metalloids, alloys and metallic compounds, when placed in near Absolute Zero thermal environments, undergo significant decreases in ohmic resistance; at a certain temperature, or within a narrow range of temperatures--termed a materials's "transition temperature" or "transition temperature range"--the ohmic resistance falls abruptly to practically zero. For a conductor of a given length and cross-sectional area with a measured R ohms of resistance at 25.degree. C., the resistivity is determined to be a certain magnitude. As the ambient temperature of the conductor is decreased, it has been found that there occurs a linear decrease in resistivity with temperature. Such linear behavior, however, is not the phenomenon of superconductivity. Superconductivity is the term applied to the sudden departure from linear behavior and the abrupt attainment of near zero ohmic resistance. At this point, it is said that the conductor has entered the "superconducting state", and it has been found that said conductors in said state are capable of passing very large magnitudes of current with a minimum of applied voltage.
Although it has been theorized that ambient or room temperature superconductivity might be possible, until now this has remained theory only although such diverse uses as high voltage long distance transmission lines, heat transfer means for heat pumps, and by-passes of damaged nerves in the spinal column have been envisioned.